Lathe accessory for band saw

Abstract

A lathe accessory for a band saw including a foundation assembly adapted to attach to a table for the band saw. A translating layer assembly engages the foundation assembly and is permitted to move thereon. A carriage assembly is disposed on the translating layer, the carriage assembly further comprising a frame subassembly and a bulkhead subassembly, the frame subassembly further comprising an endwall adapted to support a left end of a workplace, and a front frame rail and back frame rail both connected to a frame leg to thereby slidably connect the frame subassembly to the translating layer. The bulkhead subassembly forms the other side of the carriage to secure the other end of the workpiece. Internal components within the bulkhead motorize the bulkhead, such that the workpiece can be turned and manipulated in two dimensions as the bandsaw blade cuts the rotating workpiece.

I claim: 
     
       1. A lathe accessory for a band saw, comprising:
 a foundation assembly adapted to attach to a table for said band saw, said foundation assembly having a pair of long edges with one of said long edges configured to overhang said table and bottom surface; 
 a translating layer assembly engaging said foundation assembly, said translating layer assembly having a top, an underside, a left half, and a right half; 
 a carriage assembly disposed on said translating layer, said carriage assembly further comprising a frame subassembly and a bulkhead subassembly; said frame subassembly further comprising an end wall and multiple threaded rods rigidly attached to said endwall extending the length of said frame subassembly traveling through said bulkhead subassembly; 
 said bulkhead subassembly has a bulkhead bottom conforming to said frame leg, a housing, an outside bulkhead wall, and an inside bulkhead wall, thereby defining a workspace between said endwall and said bulkhead subassembly; 
 a template holder assembly for securing a template for a workpiece within said workspace; and, 
 a bandsaw guide assembly on said foundation assembly, said bandsaw guide assembly further comprising a blade guide subassembly and a guide tower subassembly for maneuvering a blade of said band saw. 
 
     
     
       2. The lathe accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said foundation assembly further comprises:
 a pair of foundation rails inward from said long edges and traveling a length of said foundation assembly; 
 a stylus base disposed on said bottom surface; 
 a stylus attached to said stylus base upstanding therefrom; and 
 a ridge on said bottom surface extending downward therefrom, said ridge configured to fit into a tool guide groove of said, band saw table. 
 
     
     
       3. The lathe accessory of  claim 2 , wherein said translating layer assembly further comprises:
 a pair of grooves defined within said underside, each said groove shaped to mate with a respective one of said foundation, rails; 
 a pair of translating rails on said top; and, 
 a slot defined within said left half permitting movement of said translating layer without interference with said stylus. 
 
     
     
       4. The lathe accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said frame subassembly further comprises:
 said endwall adapted to support a left end of a workpiece; 
 a template platform extending from said endwall; 
 a front frame rail extending from said endwall spaced from said template platform defined over said slot; 
 a back frame rail extending from said, endwall opposite both said template platform, and said front frame rail; and, 
 a frame leg perpendicular to said back frame rail opposite said endwall connecting said front frame rail and said back frame rail and slidably disposed over one of said translating rails, wherein said front frame rail and said back frame rail are both connected to said frame leg to thereby slidably connect said frame subassembly to said translating layer. 
 
     
     
       5. The lathe accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said bulkhead subassembly further comprises:
 a notch defined at a bulkhead, bottom fitting over said front frame rail; 
 multiple sprockets disposed within a housing thereof, each said sprocket having a center through which each said threaded, rod passes; 
 a chain within said housing engaging and synchronizing each said sprocket; and, 
 a motor mounted on an outside bulkhead wall for turning said sprockets. 
 
     
     
       6. The lathe accessory of  claim 5 , further comprising a selector assembly within said bulkhead subassembly including a bull gear and a selector pinion adjacent to said bull gear, said bull gear including a shaft passing through, and supported by a hole in each said outside bulkhead wall and an inside bulkhead wall, said, bull gear engaged by a motor pinion of said motor, wherein a position of said selector assembly determines whether said selector pinion delivers power to said chain or to said motor pinion. 
     
     
       7. A lathe accessory for a band saw, comprising:
 a foundation assembly adapted to attach to a table for said band saw, said foundation assembly having a pair of long edges with one of said long edges configured to overhang said table and bottom surface, and further comprising:
 a pair of foundation, rails inward from said long edges and traveling a length of said foundation assembly; 
 a stylus base disposed on said bottom surface; 
 a stylus attached to said stylus base upstanding therefrom; 
 a ridge on said bottom surface extending downward therefrom, said ridge configured to fit into a tool guide groove of said band saw table; 
 
 a translating layer assembly engaging said foundation, assembly, said translating layer assembly having a top, an underside, a left half, and a right half, and further comprising:
 a pair of grooves defined, within, said underside, each said groove shaped to mate with a respective one of said foundation rails; 
 a pair of translating rails on said top; 
 a slot defined within said left half permitting movement of said translating layer without interference with said stylus; 
 
 a carriage assembly disposed, on said translating layer, said carriage assembly further comprising a frame subassembly and a bulkhead subassembly, said frame subassembly further comprising:
 an endwall adapted to support a left end of a workpiece; 
 a template platform, extending from, said endwall; 
 a front frame rail extending from said endwall spaced from said template platform defined over said slot; 
 a back frame rail extending from said endwall opposite both said, template platform and said front frame rail; 
 a frame leg perpendicular to said back frame rail opposite said endwall connecting said front frame rail and said back frame rail and slidably disposed over one of said translating rails, wherein said front frame rail and said back frame rail are both connected to said frame leg to thereby slidably connect said frame subassembly to said translating layer; and, 
 multiple threaded rods rigidly attached to said endwall extending the length, of said frame subassembly traveling through said bulkhead subassembly. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The lathe accessory of  claim 7 , wherein said bulkhead subassembly has a bulkhead bottom conforming to said frame leg, a housing, an outside bulkhead wall, and an inside bulkhead wall, thereby defining a workspace between said endwall and said bulkhead subassembly, said bulkhead subassembly further comprising:
 a notch defined at said bulkhead bottom fitting over said front frame rail; 
 multiple sprockets disposed within said housing, each said sprocket having a center through which each said rod passes; 
 a chain within said housing engaging and synchronizing each said sprocket; 
 a motor mounted on said outside bulkhead wall for turning said sprockets, said motor including a motor pinion housed within said, housing; and, 
 a selector assembly including a bull gear and a selector pinion adjacent to said bull gear, said bull gear including a shaft passing through and supported by a hole in each said outside bulkhead wall and said inside bulkhead wall, said bull gear engaged by said motor pinion, wherein a position of said selector assembly determines whether said selector pinion delivers power to said chain or to said motor pinion. 
 
     
     
       9. The lathe accessory of  claim 7 , further comprising a template holder assembly for securing a template for said workpiece, said template holder assembly further comprising:
 said template platform forming a platform for said template; and, 
 an elongate clamp rail above said platform pivotable downward about a pair of pivots to engage said template and secure said template between said template platform and said elongate clamp rail. 
 
     
     
       10. The lathe accessory of  claim 7 , further comprising a bandsaw guide assembly on said ridge of said foundation assembly, said bandsaw guide assembly further comprising a blade guide subassembly and a guide tower subassembly, said blade guide subassembly further comprising:
 a main guide bar having a distal end and a proximal end; 
 a secondary guide bar connected to said distal end; 
 a vertical guide bar through said secondary guide bar, said vertical guide bar having a lower end and an upper end; and, 
 an upper guide at said upper end and a lower guide at said lower end, each said upper guide and said lower guide having blade slots defined therein for receiving a back of a blade of said band saw. 
 
     
     
       11. The lathe accessory of  claim 10 , wherein said guide tower subassembly further comprises:
 a lower half engaged with said ridge; 
 an upper half connected to said lower half and to said proximal end of said main guide bar; and, 
 a means for rotating said upper half about said lower half wherein said blade guide subassembly can be maneuvered. 
 
     
     
       12. The lathe accessory of  claim 7 , further comprising a means to clamp said foundation assembly to said bandsaw table. 
     
     
       13. The lathe accessory of  claim 9 , wherein said stylus has a front edge of small radius to follow a pattern of said template. 
     
     
       14. The lathe accessory of  claim 8 , wherein said selector assembly further comprises:
 said bull gear and said pinion mounted between two selector arms; 
 a square lug at the end of one of said selector arms; 
 a detent plate that is held in a fixed orientation when assembled into the housing of said bulkhead assembly; and, 
 a spring-loaded rod allowing the detent plate to be pushed away from said square lug. 
 
     
     
       15. The lathe accessory of  claim 7 , further comprising a means for securing said workpiece within said workspace. 
     
     
       16. The lathe accessory of  claim 8 , further comprising a means for rotating said workpiece within said workspace. 
     
     
       17. The lathe accessory of  claim 16 , further comprising a means for rotating said workpiece manually and in even increments. 
     
     
       18. The lathe accessory of  claim 8 , further comprising a means for limiting a proximity of said bulkhead assembly with said endwall of said frame subassembly. 
     
     
       19. The lathe accessory of  claim 7 , further comprising an electro-mechanical interlock means for locking and unlocking said lathe accessory and prohibiting unintended use. 
     
     
       20. The lathe accessory of  claim 8 , further comprising a means for varying a position of said selector assembly to vary a mode of operation of said lathe accessory.